Lexi Webster
Playing as Austria in Europa Universalis IV (EU4) can be challenging when it comes to making money, as the country starts out with negative cash flow due to high army costs. To improve your financial situation, you should consider reducing military expenses by lowering army maintenance, disbanding cavalry units, and deleting or mothballing forts. Conquering provinces, such as Venice's, can increase taxes and provide gold mines, improving your income. Diplomacy is also key: form alliances with German minors, turning them into vassals, and be wary of rivals like Burgundy. With careful strategy and management, you can turn Austria's economy around and build a strong financial foundation for future expansion and conquest.
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What You'll Learn
Conquer Venice for more taxes and better trade
As Austria, you can improve your trade situation and increase taxes by conquering Venice. Venice is a powerful trade node with access to valuable trade routes and resources. Here's a strategy to conquer Venice and improve your economic situation:
- Early Game Strategies: Focus on improving your economic situation from the beginning. Delete unnecessary forts and mothball your fleets to reduce expenses. Consider taking control of gold mines in Hungary and Bohemia to boost your income.
- Expand into Venice: Venice is a key trade hub, and expanding into it can greatly improve your trade situation. With the Burgundian Inheritance, you can also gain a solid presence in the English Channel, further enhancing your trade.
- Conquer Venetian Provinces: Aim to conquer at least two of Venice's provinces. This will provide you with more taxes and resources. You can also take advantage of Venice's trade network by conquering the main provinces and centers of trade that lead to Venice.
- Diplomatic Alliances: Form diplomatic alliances with countries like France, Poland, and Lithuania. These alliances can provide support and protection against potential rivals or threats, such as the Ottomans.
- Defensive War Strategy: Wait for the Ottomans to declare war on Byzantium, and then make Byzantium a vassal of Venice. This will put you in a defensive war against the Ottomans, where you can call upon your allies for support. Take advantage of their weakness to conquer valuable provinces and further expand your trade empire.
- Trade Company vs. State: Consider the benefits of establishing a trade company (TC) or a state in conquered lands. TCs have lower governing costs and provide more merchants, allowing for more expansion and increased trade income. However, states can provide early game manpower and tax income, especially in regions with high autonomy like Venice.
By following these steps and focusing on conquering Venice, you can significantly improve your economic situation as Austria in EU4. Remember to adapt your strategy based on the game's dynamics and your specific goals.
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Take gold mines from Hungary and Bohemia
To make more money as Austria in EU4, one strategy is to focus on taking gold mines from Hungary and Bohemia. Gold mines can provide a significant boost to your economy, and by acquiring them early on, you can set yourself up for long-term financial stability. Here's a detailed plan to achieve this:
Early Conquests:
First, prioritize the conquest of Venice's provinces, as suggested by several players. This move will grant you access to better trade routes and increase your tax income. During this early phase, you can also take advantage of the gold mine in Hont, Hungary, which can be swiftly acquired during the early PU war. This gold mine will provide a welcome boost to your economy.
Dealing with Rivals:
Hungary and Venice are common rivals for Austria, and it is recommended to take them on early. By declaring them as rivals, you can gain a bonus to your power projection, which will be beneficial when you eventually go to war with them.
Fort and Fleet Management:
To conserve resources, it is advisable to delete one of your three forts and mothball your fleets from the beginning. This will reduce unnecessary expenses and help you focus your funds on building a strong army.
War with Bohemia:
The next step is to set your sights on Bohemia. You can receive a mission that grants you a Force into Union CB on Bohemia, which will be instrumental in your conquest. During this conflict, you can seize Bohemia's gold mine, further bolstering your income.
Army Maintenance and Advisors:
Keep your army maintenance at 0 during peacetime to save costs. If you find yourself still losing money, consider firing an advisor, especially if they are above Rank 1. Lowering your military maintenance and reducing the number of advisors can help stabilize your economy.
Alliances:
Use your diplomatic reputation to your advantage. Form alliances with German minors and convince them to become your vassals. Gradually integrate them, and utilize their mini-armies during wars to distract the enemy and win sieges. However, be cautious of Burgundy; they tend to be hostile towards Austria, so an alliance may not be advisable.
By following this strategy, you can effectively take the gold mines from Hungary and Bohemia, solidifying your financial position as Austria in EU4.
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Lower military maintenance and disband cavalry
Playing as Austria in Europa Universalis IV can be challenging due to the high army maintenance costs. To improve your financial situation, consider implementing the following strategies:
Lower Military Maintenance:
Firstly, you can lower your military maintenance costs to save money during peacetime. Reducing the maintenance slider to 90% instead of 0% will minimize the negative impact on morale, and it typically takes around 3-4 months to recover from 0%. Keeping your troops at 50% morale can be sufficient to handle native uprisings, so don't be afraid to adjust the slider accordingly. Additionally, you can hire mercenaries to guard colonies, as they remain at full maintenance even when your slider is down.
Disband Cavalry:
Disbanding cavalry units can significantly improve your economy. Cavalry units are expensive to maintain, with upkeep costs of 0.75 per cavalry regiment. By disbanding them, you can reduce your overall military expenses. However, keep in mind that cavalry units provide valuable flanking bonuses in combat, so disbanding them may impact your military effectiveness.
Other Strategies:
In addition to lowering military maintenance and disbanding cavalry, there are a few other strategies you can employ:
- Fort Management: Mothballing forts can help reduce expenses. Deleting unnecessary forts can also save you money, but ensure you have enough forts to protect your nation.
- Fleet Management: Mothballing fleets can also reduce costs. Focus on maintaining the fleets necessary for your strategic goals.
- Conquest and Vassalization: Conquering provinces, such as those from Venice, can provide additional tax income. You can also improve your trade situation by expanding to Venice and gaining a presence in the English Channel through the Burgundian Inheritance. Additionally, consider using your diplomatic reputation to convince German minors to become your vassals, providing military support and potentially increasing your income.
- Gold Mines: Acquiring gold mines, such as those in Hungary, Bohemia, and Kosovo, can provide short-term financial boosts.
- Advisors and Alliances: Firing expensive advisors can help cut costs. Be cautious about forming alliances, as some nations, like Burgundy, may be hostile towards Austria.
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Fire advisors to save money
Playing as Austria in EU4 can be challenging when it comes to making money, especially in the early game. One strategy to save money is to fire your advisors. Advisors can be expensive, costing up to 4.00 ducats per month, and getting rid of them can free up a significant amount of money. However, it is important to note that advisors can also provide valuable bonuses and benefits, so firing them may not always be the best option.
When deciding which advisors to let go, consider their cost and the value they bring to your game. For example, a diplomacy advisor may not be necessary if you can use your diplomatic reputation to form alliances and vassals. Similarly, a military advisor may not be needed if you can rely on vassals' mini-armies during wars. By assessing the value of each advisor and their impact on your gameplay, you can make informed decisions about who to keep and who to let go.
It is generally recommended to keep at least one advisor, especially if they provide essential bonuses. For example, a military advisor with a discipline bonus can be valuable during wars, while an administrative advisor with a production efficiency bonus can be beneficial if you have colonies. Additionally, consider the cost of re-hiring advisors; bringing back an advisor you fired may cost you more in the long run.
To further save money, you can implement other strategies alongside firing advisors. These include lowering your military maintenance, disbanding cavalry units, and improving your trade situation by expanding to Venice. Additionally, you can focus on gold mines, such as those in Hungary and Bohemia, to increase your income.
Remember that the decision to fire advisors should be made based on your specific circumstances and gameplay style. Assess the value of each advisor and their impact on your game, and don't be afraid to make changes if needed. Saving money by firing advisors can help you stabilize your economy and set you up for future expansion and success in EU4 as Austria.
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Use diplomacy to gain vassals and distract enemies
As Austria, you can use diplomacy to gain vassals and distract enemies. This can be achieved by first splitting your army into four mini-stacks of 11k troops. Next, lower your military maintenance costs to save money during peacetime. You can then use your strong diplomatic reputation to convince German minors to become your vassals, gradually integrating them into your realm. These vassal armies can be used to distract enemies during wars and assist in winning sieges.
Additionally, you can cancel less useful missions and wait for more advantageous ones, such as those that provide a Subjugation CB on Augsburg and Salzburg, or a Force into Union CB on Bohemia and Hungary. By using diplomacy effectively, you can gain vassals and create distractions to give you an edge over your enemies.
It is also important to note that certain alliances may not be beneficial. For example, Burgundy tends to be hostile towards Austria, so attempting an alliance with them may not be fruitful. Instead, focus on forming alliances with enemies of your rivals, such as Hungary.
Furthermore, you can improve your financial situation by conquering gold mines, such as Hont in Hungary, Bohemia, or Kosovo. This will provide a short-term boost to your income. You can also develop the gold mine in Inntal to increase production and save money by disbanding unnecessary cavalry units early in the game.
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Frequently asked questions
One way to make more money is to disband your cavalry units. Alternatively, you can expand your army and withdraw their upkeep from your neighbours.
You can improve your trade situation by expanding to Venice.
Focus on getting high trade power provinces in a good trade node.
Gold mines can be a short-term solution. You can take the gold mine of Hont from Hungary during the early PU war, and eventually the one from Bohemia.
You can also lower your military maintenance and mothball your forts.
